How I solved the low performance (loss of FPS)!

[Werbath]

I have specs way over the recommended, but still had issues with loss of FPS during gameplay. And I had no effect by changing the graphic settings. After testing and testing, without any solutions, I found a guide on Ghostarrow-com (page seems to be taken down/removed). It seems to be something related to Windows 10, but this is just a guess. Follow the list below, and see if you get the same result as me!

Btw. I don't know if it is just one of these steps that solve the loss of FPS, but by following these steps I have no more issues. I have posted this on the forum at ageofempires-com. One person actually reverted the steps, and still have no issues with performance.

1) Turn off Windows 10 game mode!

Click the Start icon to bring up the Start menu, then open the «Settings».
Click the «Gaming»
On the «Game Bar» tab, set the «Record game clips, screenshots and broadcast using Game bar» to «Off».
On the «Captures» tab, set the «Record in the background while I’m playing a game» to «Off».
On the «Game Mode» tab, set the «Game Mode» to «Off»!

If you are using and older version of Windows 10, you may not see the Game Mode settings. In this case, you can configure the settings directly in the Registry!

2) Full-screen Optimizations & High DPI in Windows 10

Go to the folder where the game is installed:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\AoE3DE
Right-click on the game’s exe-file (AoE3DE_s.exe)
Hit the Properties
Tick «Disable Full-screen optimizations» on the Compatibility tab
Click on the «Change high DPI settings» button
Under the «High DPI scaling override» section, tick the «Override high DPI scaling behavior»
Use the «Scaling performed by:» drop-down meny and select the «Application»
Click on the OK and again OK.

3) Windows Performance Options

Type «performance» in the search section of Windows, click to «Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows» from the results.
Select the «Adjust for best performance» from the options in the Performance Options window that opens.
Click «OK»

4) Increase priority in Windows 10
If this makes a difference for you, like me, then you’ll need to adjust this setting every time you enter the game

Launch the game.
Simultaneously press the ALT and TAB keys to minimize the game.
Open the Task Manager
Click on Details Tab
In the list, find the game’s exe
Right-click on the exe-file and Set priority to High
IF you facing stuttering issue in the game after doing this, don’t do the High priority setting. Set it to Normal.

5) Antivirus – add an Exception
In your Antivirus program, make sure this folder path is in the Exception list:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\AoE3DE

For Avast users:
Add an Exception

Open the Avast Antivirus user interface and select Menu and then Settings.
Ensure the General tab is selected, then click Exceptions.
Click the Add Exception button.
Add an exception in the following way: Type URL into the text box C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\AoE3DE, then click Add Exception.

6) Background Processes
You should close all unnecessary Apps, such as Chrome (see step 8), Spotify, OneDrive. Also, if the Discord is idle, you should quit Discord.

7) For Discord users – Optimize Your Discord
Disable the Hardware Acceleration and in-game overlay.

Open Discord
Go to the User Settings
Go to the Appearance tab
Uncheck the Hardware Acceleration
Go to the Overlay on App Settings tab
Make sure unchecked the «Enable in-game overlay»

8) Google Chrome may also affect the performance
If you’re using Google Chrome, you’ll need to make this setting.

Go to settings page in Chrome
Click the Advanced
Go to the System tab
Finally, uncheck the «Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed».

9) Cleaning Temporary Files
%temp%

Simultaneously press the Windows logo and R keys
Type %temp%
Press Enter key
Delete everything in the Temp folder that opens.

temp

Simultaneously press the Windows logo and R keys
Type temp
Press Enter key
Delete everything in the Temp folder that opens.

prefetch

Simultaneously press the Windows logo and R keys
Type prefetch
Press Enter key
Delete everything in the Temp folder that opens.

10) Power Options
Processor temperature may increase by 5-6 degrees!

Right-click the Windows icon on the bottom left.
Click the Power Options
Click the Additional power settings
Select the High performance on the Preferred plans tab.
After, click the Change plan settings link next to High performance
Tap on the Change advanced power settings
Find Processor power management in the incoming list, click the + icon on the left side.
Set Minimum processor state and Maximum processor state to 100%
Click on the OK

[Average wasp themed superhero]

i love you like a father

[Werbath]

Originally posted by Average wasp themed superhero:

i love you like a father

Haha, thanks I guess, but did it work for you too?

[Ant Ra]

This is very good and you should really place this as a steam guide. Or it should be pinned.

Yes, worked

[Werbath]

Originally posted by Ant Ra:

This is very good and you should really place this as a steam guide. Or it should be pinned.

Yes, worked

Thanks! Dunno how to make it pinned, but I can try to repost this as a guide! Glad to hear that it is working for you too! :)

[Drystoner]

All good except....

Step 1: Turning off game mode actually will cause more stutter, keep it on.

Step 4: Again, completely pointless and won't make a difference

Step 6: Yes, and you should also disable background apps in windows 10 settings!

Step 10: Won't change a thing, moving it from balanced to high performance just wastes power

[Werbath]

Originally posted by 42nd Regiment of Foot:

All good except....

Step 1: Turning off game mode actually will cause more stutter, keep it on.

Step 4: Again, completely pointless and won't make a difference

Step 6: Yes, and you should also disable background apps in windows 10 settings!

Step 10: Won't change a thing, moving it from balanced to high performance just wastes power

You may be right, but for me, all these steps worked. Wierdest thing is that reverting most of the steps actually don't make the game experience loosing fps again (for me). But I am not an expert, just found these steps and those helped me. :)

[Drystoner]

Originally posted by Werbath:

Originally posted by 42nd Regiment of Foot:

All good except....

Step 1: Turning off game mode actually will cause more stutter, keep it on.

Step 4: Again, completely pointless and won't make a difference

Step 6: Yes, and you should also disable background apps in windows 10 settings!

Step 10: Won't change a thing, moving it from balanced to high performance just wastes power

You may be right, but for me, all these steps worked. Wierdest thing is that reverting most of the steps actually don't make the game experience loosing fps again (for me). But I am not an expert, just found these steps and those helped me. :)

Also, another step you should add is setting your textures to performance on nvidia or amd control panel. The game will look more ugly but for potato hardware it helps.

[Werbath]

Originally posted by 42nd Regiment of Foot:

Originally posted by Werbath:

You may be right, but for me, all these steps worked. Wierdest thing is that reverting most of the steps actually don't make the game experience loosing fps again (for me). But I am not an expert, just found these steps and those helped me. :)

Also, another step you should add is setting your textures to performance on nvidia or amd control panel. The game will look more ugly but for potato hardware it helps.

Is it okay I add that to the guide I have made, with reference to you for pointing it out? :)

[CeeRiL]

These steps are pointless anyway, they are the same thing which end-user usually do when they having an issue.

The game was developed for Windows 10, so I highly doubt disable or delete the above stuff will make a difference.

The game is badly optimized which requires more resources now. So I recommend to install it on a high rig now until next patch.

[Drystoner]

Originally posted by CeeRiL:

These steps are pointless anyway, they are the same thing which end-user usually do when they having an issue.

The game was developed for Windows 10, so I highly doubt disable or delete the above stuff will make a difference.

The game is badly optimized which requires more resources now. So I recommend to install it on a high rig now until next patch.

For low end machines these steps do make a difference. On high end, yeah do whatever you want but that's not the point of this list.

[Werbath]

Sorry for writing in bad english, but: I have a pc that is better than the recommended specs. And by doing those steps I got a much better performance while in-game. I have tried and tried everything else without any luck. I could choose lowest graphic settings in-game, and I still had the problem with loss of fps as time went by in a game. Shouldn't this prove that the problem isn't the specs, but something else?

[Justinas]

Many of us have PCs that exceed the recommended specs and still encounter stuttering, random FPS drops and other issues. The "fixes" you described (closing foreground apps, increasing priority in the Task Manager, turning off Windows 10 visual effects) can be applied to any game, and are usually only helpful to people with lower spec machines. Also, step 10 is just plain wrong. All it does is make the CPU run at high frequency all the time, thus the increased heat levels. There's no reason for the CPU to run at max frequency constantly, it can downclock and return to normal so fast (when under no load) that having the Better performance option actually makes more sense than having the Best performance option set. Nevertheless, thank you for your time putting this all together, whether this was a copy and paste or your own writing. Hopefully this will help some people at least.

My point is, the game itself needs optimization and bug fixes. We shouldn't have to jump through hoops to get this game to work fine.

[Drystoner]

Originally posted by Justinas:

Many of us have PCs that exceed the recommended specs and still encounter stuttering, random FPS drops and other issues. The "fixes" you described (closing foreground apps, increasing priority in the Task Manager, turning off Windows 10 visual effects) can be applied to any game, and are usually only helpful to people with lower spec machines. Also, step 10 is just plain wrong. All it does is make the CPU run at high frequency all the time, thus the increased heat levels. There's no reason for the CPU to run at max frequency constantly, it can downclock and return to normal so fast (when under no load) that having the Better performance option actually makes more sense than having the Best performance option set. Nevertheless, thank you for your time putting this all together, whether this was a copy and paste or your own writing. Hopefully this will help some people at least.

My point is, the game itself needs optimization and bug fixes. We shouldn't have to jump through hoops to get this game to work fine.

It needs optimised, but these steps are universal for all low-end machines with any game they'll see a performance gain.

[Werbath]

Originally posted by Justinas:

Many of us have PCs that exceed the recommended specs and still encounter stuttering, random FPS drops and other issues. The "fixes" you described (closing foreground apps, increasing priority in the Task Manager, turning off Windows 10 visual effects) can be applied to any game, and are usually only helpful to people with lower spec machines. Also, step 10 is just plain wrong. All it does is make the CPU run at high frequency all the time, thus the increased heat levels. There's no reason for the CPU to run at max frequency constantly, it can downclock and return to normal so fast (when under no load) that having the Better performance option actually makes more sense than having the Best performance option set. Nevertheless, thank you for your time putting this all together, whether this was a copy and paste or your own writing. Hopefully this will help some people at least.

Honest answere, Justinas! And yet those worked for me. Why? I really don't know. The suggestions I found on youtube and here hasn't helped me. But maybe I have an issue with my computer, and that's why these steps helping me out? Anyway, sorry for making these suggestions for you guys with more aknowledge than me in computer-things, but since they worked for me I felt I had to post them. :)

[CeeRiL]

Originally posted by 42nd Regiment of Foot:

Originally posted by CeeRiL:

These steps are pointless anyway, they are the same thing which end-user usually do when they having an issue.

The game was developed for Windows 10, so I highly doubt disable or delete the above stuff will make a difference.

The game is badly optimized which requires more resources now. So I recommend to install it on a high rig now until next patch.

For low end machines these steps do make a difference. On high end, yeah do whatever you want but that's not the point of this list.

Well, the title never aims at low end or high end, most of the post contents advise you to turn off "unnecessary?" process to boost the performance.

Honestly, I'm not sure how you define the term "high end" or "low end" in 2020.

But hey, who has time to do reversed engineering to find the root cause?